Perpetrator status and the personality characteristics of molested children.
The personality and intellectual characteristics of three groups of children, one molested by a teacher (n = 16), a second group (n = 16) where the offender was a member of the child's family, and a non-molested control group (n = 16) were contrasted. The children were evaluated using the Personality Inventory for Children (PIC), the Children's Personality Questionnaire (CPQ), and the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-R). There were few differences between the two molested groups or between boys and girls. However, comparisons of molested and non-molested children showed significant differences on 23 of 34 scales on the PIC and CPQ combined. WISC-R verbal IQs were also lower for the molested groups. While the lack of differences between the two molested groups may have been due to the parent-like relationship between the teacher and the children he molested, the results suggest that a relatively noncoercive style of abuse can still produce significant psychological impairment.
Basta
S M
SM
Department of Psychology, University of Nevada, Reno 89557.
Peterson
R F
RF
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D002648:Child; D002650:Child Abuse, Sexual / Q000523:psychology*; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D005783:Gender Identity; D006801:Humans; D007179:Incest / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D010553:Personality Development; D010555:Personality Inventory; D013663:Teaching